Will wonders never cease?: Getting Things Done

Haley knows what needs to be done.

This summer when I did the laundry Haley would go upstairs and get her dirty clothes and bring them down and put them in the laundry room. I never asked her to do it, she just did.

When the dryer alarm went off she would make a noise and come and get me.

Once I had folded the clothes, if I didn’t take them right upstairs she would come and get them and take them up to her room. She didn’t put them in her drawer. She put them on her bed, which is interesting because when we come home from a shopping trip she always puts her new clothes in her drawers.

Now that she is in school I usually have the laundry done by the time she comes home so I am not getting as much help.

Yesterday Haley came in to the family room and noticed that she had a pile of clean, folded clothes on the couch. She picked them up and carried them up to her room.

Today I packed clothes for her and myself because we are going to start our college visit tour this weekend. Haley’s Big Sis is a senior and we are starting to plan for next year. I told Haley that we are going on a road trip this weekend, but I didn’t tell her that we were leaving as soon as she got home from school.

When she got home we told her our plans and she started gathering her things. She kept asking me about her clothes. I told her that I had already packed her clothes. I told her about ten times. She didn’t seem to believe me. Her Dad had already put the suitcase in the truck so she didn’t get to verify what had been packed.

Thinking about it, I realize that it really wasn’t fair to her, but it is too late now.

Haley took her purse and her magazines and her stuffed pillow pet horse JoJo out to the truck. I was busy getting ready so I assumed she was just sitting in the truck waiting to go. Eventually we were all ready and we were off.

About two hours in to the trip I looked in the rear view mirror and as my brain was forming the question “What the H…?” Haley’s Big Sis exclaimed “Haley! Why did you bring your pumpkin?” I was laughing so hard that I had to really concentrate to stay in my own lane on the road. I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time.

I guess Haley had pulled her pumpkin out from under her Big Sis’s pillow where she had stashed it. She had plenty of time to carry out her plan, I just don’t really know why she did it.

So today I am thankful that my daughter helps me around the house and is a good planner and packer. I am also grateful for laughter. It is the best medicine.

I hear it keeps you young too, so that’s good.

~Haley's Mom, Thankfully